Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I would say Merry Christmas, but that was a slightly churlish question—but I wish you a Merry Christmas anyway, Senator!

Minister Burke has sought advice from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities about whether national environmental law applies to the grazing trial. Minister Burke makes no apology for protecting national parks for families. National parks are special places, and they are a vital way of protecting our natural environment. Once places are protected in national parks, whether by the Australian, state or territory governments, there should be no backward steps in protection.

On 13 November 2012 the New South Wales Minister for the Environment announced a scientific trial within the New South Wales red gum national parks. The red gum national parks provide a habitat for a range of threatened species. The Murray Valley National Park also includes part of the Central Murray State Forests Ramsar wetlands. Large areas of the national parks—